Surrey County Council

InTouch Mar21_Layout 2 28/02/2021 18:33 Page 1

inTouch www.facebook.com/ElmbridgeConservatives WITH YOUR COBHAM, OXSHOTT & STOKE D’ABERNON CONSERVATIVES MARCH 2021

This newsletter is printed and distributed at no cost to the taxpayer and delivered in accordance with Covid rules Defending the Green light for 6th May elections Green Belt is LECTIONS to Elm- years. our top priority bridge Borough Coun- He said: “I’m keen to champion Ecil, Surrey County our local businesses and take a Council, and for the Surrey community-led approach to tack- Police and Crime Commis- ling local issues, from parking to sioner will be taking place on planning. I share residents’ de- Thursday 6th May. sire to preserve the distinctive Your Conservative candidates character of Cobham and our have been selected and are raring Green Belt.” to go - even though Covid re- Alan Parker CBE is standing to strictions mean conversations are represent Oxshott and Stoke likely to be online this year d’Abernon which includes Cob- rather than on the doorstep. ham Fairmile at Elmbridge Bor- Mark Sugden is our candidate ough Council. He is a former to represent Oxshott, Claygate Chief Executive Officer of a and Hinchley Wood at Surrey FTSE 100 company and has THE Conservative Group of County Council. After an inter- been a chairman and non-execu- councillors at Elmbridge national business career, Mark tive director for international Council is resolutely moved to Claygate in 2007, companies. committed to defending our where he joined the Parish Putting people first has been a borough’s Green Belt, Council and regularly raises is- priority throughout Alan’s career irrespective of housing targets sues on behalf of residents at the and his CBE was awarded for set by the Government. Elmbridge Local Committee of services to industry. His experi- Leader James Browne, pictured Surrey County Council. ence will be a great asset to the above at Knowle Hill, who is a He is an ardent supporter of the Council. Cobham councillor, says the local Green Belt and protecting Alan said: “I will do whatever borough’s vulnerability to vital community services, as is in my power to safeguard our arbitrary housing targets is a well as strong law and order and Green Belt, keep our local busi- direct result of the failure of the safer, better highways. nesses strong and drive waste Liberal Democrat and Residents’ Mark said: “Despite challeng- out from our Council spending.” Associations coalition to agree a ing times, I will do all I can to “At Elmbridge, I have robustly d’Abernon for more than 30 Polling Stations will be safe Local Plan. make a difference for residents defended our Green Belt. At Sur- years, will support the work of places at which to vote but you He explains: “They have had and build a brighter future. I’ll rey, I would ensure that our the Surrey Growth Board, which can also choose to vote by post control of the council for four of take swift action to address the roads and footpaths continue to is working to increase economic or by proxy. Apply to vote by the last five years and we are no adverse impact on Oxshott resi- be improved and that the Coun- activity across the county. post to: www.elmbridge.gov.uk/ further forward. The Local Plan dents of traffic on the A244.” cil’s investment in flood preven- Alistair Mann is our borough elections/voting-by-post by 5pm has been delayed even further as David Lewis has already tion projects will benefit our candidate in Cobham & Down- on 20th April 2021. the result of the latest lockdown proven himself as a hardworking area,” he said. side ward. He is Chair of Cob- n Pictured clockwise from and it is now not expected to be and vocal borough councillor, The provision of quality ser- ham Chamber of Commerce and top left: Mark Sugden, Cllr published until later this year. and is now hoping to put his ex- vices requires a strong economy. was a Chair of Governors at St David Lewis, Alistair Mann “When the Conservatives perience to good use as Surrey David, who has lived in Stoke Andrews Primary School for six and Alan Parker. controlled the Council during County Councillor for Cobham. the 2018/19 municipal year, we instructed officers to draw up n CHATTERBUS linking Ox- LISA Townsend has been additional options for the Local shott, Stoke d’Abernon and Joint effort to selected as the Conservative Plan which protect our open Cobham to Brooklands has had candidate for Surrey Police and spaces and Green Belt, its future secured for 2021-22 by combat virus Crime Commissioner at the 6th preserving areas of natural grants of £10,000 by South West- May election. She’s a former beauty for future generations. Covid has dominated the news ern Railway and £15,000 from Cobham resident with a “Only the Conservative Group for the past year so much that Surrey County Council. background in law and strategic of Councillors at Elmbridge there couldn’t possibly be Local councillors Mary Lewis communications. Lisa intends to have given residents a guarantee anything more to say about it. and Andrew Burley are be a 'critical friend' to the police that they will oppose releasing However, you may not be members of the Chatterbus and raise voters’ priorities with Green Belt land for future aware of the tremendous work board and confirm the service the Chief Constable. “I’ll ensure housing development.” that has been done by Surrey will be resumed when lockdown Surrey Police are more visible In February, the Alliance of County Council (SCC) and restrictions ease. Elmbridge Residents and Civic and reactive to the community's Elmbridge Borough Council. Groups - which includes n COBHAM County Councillor concerns, and engages with our This includes: SCC and Surrey Cobham Conservation & Mary Lewis has secured funding vulnerable residents. I will also Police and Fire Services co- Heritage Trust, Stoke d’Abernon for speed activated signs and take a tougher stance on illegal chaired the Local Resilience Residents Association and three additional pedestrian is- traveller encampments," says Forum which has co-ordinated FEDORA, issued a statement lands in Stoke Road. It follows a Lisa. Follow her campaign at: the response to Covid across the calling on candidates at the 6 successful campaign by residents www.facebook.com/ county including surge testing n Lisa Townsend will be your champion May election to commit to to have the speed limit in the LisaTownsendSurrey and open access testing. and voice at Surrey Police protecting the Green Belt and road reduced to 30 mph. Elmbridge has processed and resist the housing target of 633 paid businesses nearly £8M in dwellings per year. government funded grants. RA and Lib Dems raid Council’s reserves Dom visits Cobham Elmbridge Conservatives have 1,250 Meals on Wheels de- COBHAM'S Chamber of no hesitation in giving those livered every week. Between ELMBRIDGE Borough Council This now stands at £9M, although Commerce Chair (and pros- assurances as this has been our 600 – 750 welfare calls made to is due to receive £14.9M in the Government is expected to pective councillor) Alistair group policy for the last four residents. Elmbridge Commu- Council Tax this year but will compensate Elmbridge for most of Mann took MP Dominic Raab years. nity Transport is taking people still continue to operate at a loss. its Covid spending. on a visit to Cobham High to receive the vaccine in Wal- The Council is run by an eight- Elmbridge Conservative Deputy Street pre-lockdown hear ton, Epsom and Chertsey. party coalition of political Resi- Leader, Cllr Ruth Mitchell, said: from businesses about the im- Rough sleepers have been dents Associations and the Liberal “A root and branch review of pact of Covid. housed in cabins at West Mole- Democrats, which is drawing spending is required. We must de- Dominic was pleased to hear of sey. And since the second down the reserves to plug a £3.7M liver services to our residents more the positive difference of the period of lockdown, Hersham budget shortfall this year. efficiently and at less cost. Government’s Business Rates Village Hall is operating as a Unlike Conservative-led Surrey “The RA/LD administration relief, VAT deferral and Job Covid testing site. County Council which balanced its would rather kick the can down the Support. Traders raised issues As of early February, 91% of books and was better prepared to road than take difficult decisions. about parking, planning and the over 80s had been vaccinated weather Covid, the Borough had a “We will be campaigning to elect need to support high streets to for Covid, 96% of over 75s and funding gap of circa £5M that a Conservative administration to thrive at the heart of local com- 76% of 70 -74 year-olds. councillors had not dealt with be- restore the finances back to health fore the pandemic. and meet our residents’ needs.” munities. InTouch Mar21_Layout 2 28/02/2021 18:33 Page 2

COMMUNITY Surrey: ‘A county council transformed’ NEWS URREY County Council Every year the Council spends under the leadership of £140M on environment, transport SConservative Tim Oliver is and infrastructure, over £30M on a Council transformed. public health, £37M on community As leader of Elmbridge Borough protection (including Surrey Fire & Council from 2018-19, he cham- Rescue Service). pioned Green Belt protection and Tim’s administration has four key secured a High Court injunction priorities for Surrey County Coun- against Traveller incursions. cil after the May elections. Tim then took over the reins at These are: 1) Growing a sustain- OAKSHADE Road and Silver- Surrey and has led reforms to al- able economy (particularly critical mere Avenue in Oxshott have most every area of Council busi- as our county recovers from been resurfaced by Surrey ness - making £250m of efficiency Covid); 2) Tackling health inequal- County Council. If elected, your savings while improving services ity - accelerating health and social County Councillors will continue for residents. care integration, to reduce demand to push for additional local high- The Surrey leader, who is pictured on services while improving health way improvements and to seek right with MP Dominic Raab before outcomes for residents; 3) Enabling more from Surrey’s Highways the pandemic, told InTouch: “Covid a greener future. Measures include budget which has been increased has had a huge impact but thanks to planting 1.2M trees, investing in by £264M. our hard work to transform the ultra low emission buses, promot- provided staffing to help the county ciencies wherever we can and look COBHAM County Councillor, Council, we have been able to pro- ing walking and cycling and replac- through the pandemic. to pass on that benefit to residents.” Mary Lewis, secured funding vide financial security and certainty ing street lights with energy In the next five years it will invest Surrey spends more than £1M for the repair of pavements in in guiding Surrey through the pan- efficient bulbs; and 4) Engaging almost £2BN on improving infra- every single day on Adult Social Blundel Lane, Stoke d’Abernon demic. with our communities - making it structure, tackling the climate Care and more than £500,000 every and Church Street, Cobham, in “Alongside that, we’ve continued easier for residents to play an active emergency and growing our local day on Children’s Services. addition to the resurfacing of with our ambitions in improving role in shaping decisions outside economy, providing jobs, reducing Many residents won’t experience pavements in Station Road and services and making this organisa- elections. inequality and improving the lives these services, but it is Surrey’s Bray Road previously. tion fit for the future. That work “I know that we have a brighter will continue.” of all our residents. duty to look after the most vulner- future ahead of us. We will over- COUNCILLOR Andrew Burley Over the past year, Surrey has met Tim continued: “We must demon- able and the Conservative Council come Covid, rise to the challenge arranged for Tim Oliver, the the cost of PPE delivered to the strate to Council Tax payers that we will continue to do that, while of recovery and will continue to leader of Surrey County Council, frontline, given financial support to are spending their money wisely pressing Government on sustain- make Surrey the best place to live, to attend a meeting with the Ox- the care and voluntary sectors, and delivering the best value. We able funding to enable us to deliver work and to grow a business,” said shott residents’ group FEDORA helped vulnerable residents, and will continue to drive greater effi- that care. Tim. to discuss the A244 Leatherhead Road. Concerns were raised about the level of traffic through Parking rise will hurt our local shops Oxshott Village, pollution and pe- told the Council meeting that destrian safety, with Surrey High- local shops would lose trade if the ways officers tasked with half hourly ticket was removed. identifying solutions. He explained: "Small conveni- MARK Sugden, Conservative ence stores and retailers depend County Council candidate for on customers being able to park, Oxshott, is supporting a night pop in to buy a newspaper or pick time ban on large lorries divert- up a prescription. ing through Oxshott to avoid “Those businesses have done an the London Low Emission incredible job in supporting our Zone. Mark also backs the THE Liberal Democrat and residents over the last few Elmbridge Local Committee Residents’ Association parties months." funded feasibility study into a running Elmbridge Council Conservatives warned that the 20 mph speed limit through Ox- voted through increases in increases could backfire, with shott village. parking charges in December. residents taking chances instead They also removed the 30-min- of buying a ticket. TWO-times Wimbledon cham- ute short-term stay option, result- However, Council Leader Stuart Vaccine offers route out of lockdown pion Sir Andy Murray has re- ing in the minimum fee at village Selleck insisted the "broader pic- grants for businesses forced to car parks such as Steels Lane, Ox- ture" of the council's finances was BY DOMINIC RAAB vealed that he used the brick wall MP FOR ESHER AND WALTON close. The government’s loan at Oxshott Village Sports Club to shott, increasing by 125%, from more important, and a Conser- schemes are available until the end practice after his hip operation. 40p to 90p. vative amendment proposed by IN RECENT months, the Coro- of March, and so far the two most He has also used the courts at Oxshott Councillor David Lewis David was voted down. navirus vaccination programme popular schemes have provided nearby Reed's School, he told has shown us a clear route out of over £130M to local businesses. SurreyLive. lockdown. Away from Coronavirus, your

Community bids Over 18 million people have now local Conservative team has been SURREY County Council is de- been vaccinated, and we met our YOUR Conservative council- working hard on other key issues. veloping new pavements in Ox- target to offer a vaccination to lors and candidates work We secured an important win in shott where land is available or everyone in the top four most vul- closely with non-political resi- December, when the Ministry of when landowners are engaged, nerable groups by mid-February. dents’ associations in the area Housing, Communities and Local including alongside and to the Looking ahead, we aim to offer a and have regular meetings Government listened to our repre- south of Willow Croft, and be- vaccine to all priority groups by with them to learn about resi- sentations and decided not to in- tween Danes Hill and the Vil- May and all adults by September. dents’ priorities. crease Elmbridge’s housing target. lage Centre on the west side of Locally, GPs, nurses and volun- FEDORA – The Voice for Ox- This is particularly important for the A244. teers have been doing great work shott, Cobham & District Resi- Cobham and Oxshott, and I’m to protect Cobham and Oxshott RUBBISH and dog waste bins in dents’ Association (CDRA) and grateful to the local residents residents – including at the nearby Elmbridge green spaces are being Cobham Conservation & Heri- groups for their input. vaccination centres in Thames Dit- replaced this year with larger ca- tage trust (CCHT) and Stoke Roadwork relief There’s more to do on this front. ton and Walton. Over 250,000 vac- pacity dual-use bins. Areas re- d’Abernon RA, along with MATT Furniss (pictured) is the The Liberal Democrat / Residents cinations have been administered ceiving new bins will include many other faith and commu- Surrey County Council Cabinet Association coalition running the across Surrey, with every one Littleheath Recreation Ground, nity groups, have submitted bids Member for Transport. council are due to begin a consul- bringing us closer to normality. Station Road Recreation Ground, to Your Fund Surrey. He is introducing a new policy, tation on the new Local Plan soon, While this is good progress, I am Stoke d'Abernon Recreation This includes a new commu- from April, of charging utility com- and we are calling on them to pro- conscious that the lockdown Ground, River Hill, Leg o Mut- nity hub for St Andrew’s panies a lane rental fee when they tect the Green Belt. It is only by causes difficulties for many indi- ton, Cobham Recreation Ground Church, a pelican crossing in dig up busy Surrey roads and carry supporting local Conservative can- viduals and businesses. There is and the Tilt. Steels Lane, a non-vehicle out the works during peak hours. didates in May that we can ensure still substantial economic support bridge across the railway in The intention is to incentivise road our green spaces are protected for AVERAGE Speed Cameras available, including monthly future generations. could be introduced along the Blundel Lane and improve- crews to complete works in a A244 Leatherhead Road. Sur- ments to the centre of Cobham timely fashion and minimise incon- rey County Council is discuss- and on the Leg o’ Mutton field. venience to residents. Companies Surrey switching to energy efficient bulbs ing with Surrey Police on Conservative candidate Alan doing poor quality, rushed repairs Parker said: “These exciting will be required to come back at SURREY County Council has years – six times longer than whether to progress the initiat- begun the huge task of convert- traditional bulbs, and it will ive. The existing mobile en- projects will benefit the whole their own expense! area if funding is secured. It is With any luck we might see an ing 89,000 street lights into take three years to complete the forcement site opposite the energy-efficient LEDs. switch over. Bear pub on the A244 is an really good that we have active end to instances of roads closed groups to engage with and work without work being done. The council spends £3.8M Surrey Cabinet Member for example of cooperation be- every year on energy for street Transport, Matt Furniss, said: tween the Conservative Admin- together to improve our com- Matt said: “I’m delighted that this munity”. new scheme will go-ahead. We’re lights. By converting to LED, “This demonstrates our com- istration and Surrey Police they’ll use around 65% less mitment to reduce energy con- working for local residents. FEDORA can be contacted at always looking at ways to reduce [email protected] congestion on our road network and energy, saving taxpayers £2M a sumption as well as aim of to keep Surrey moving.” year. The new lights will last 20 being net carbon zero by 2050.” Promoted by Suzi Coul on behalf of the Conservative Party, both of 3 Bridle Close, Kingston Upon Thames, KT1 2JW, and printed by Direct Colour, Unit 1 & 2 Chessington Trade Park, 60 Cox Lane, Chessington, KT9 1TW